An important dramatic score from the early career of John Williams is released in complete stereo form by FSM: None But the Brave (1965), for a WWII film about a small contingent of Japanese and American soliders making an uneasy truce on a small South Pacific island until war rears its ugly head. The picture is perhaps best remembered as the first (and only) directorial effort of Frank Sinatra, starring Sinatra in a small role alongside Clint Walker, Tony Bill and a diverse group of American and Japanese actors (it was co-produced by American and Japanese studios).

For film music fans the star is John Williams, then known as “Johnny” and transitioning to feature films after productive years in television. Most of Williams’s early films were comedies but None But the Brave was a notable exception, giving Williams the opportunity to write a broad, majestic main theme, with ambitiously chromatic counterlines somewhat in the style of his contemporary, André Previn. The body of the score blends tension-filled moments informed by Williams’s dramatic scores for television; atmospheric and suspense writing that anticipate his future blockbusters (from Close Encounters to Raiders of the Lost Ark); and even lighter passages recalling his comedic work. The story also allows for sensitive depictions of the Japanese as well as American characters, and these feature carefully designed Japanese-flavored colors (decades before Memoirs of a Geisha).

Fans of the composer who thought they knew every last note of his oeuvre, and have hungered for new Williams CDs, will delight in this uncovered gem. It is fascinating to hear his development as an artist, as well as the voice he offered for cinema of the 1960s. And if you like his Lost in Space television music, there is at least one cue (“The Final Fight”) that will make you exclaim, “Danger, Will Robinson!”

FSM’s premiere CD of None But the Brave features the complete score newly mixed from the original ½' three-track stereo scoring masters; as recorded by Dan Wallin on the Warner Bros. stage, and engineered for FSM’s CD by Mike Matessino, it sounds like it was recorded yesterday. Bonus tracks include Williams’s music for the film’s trailer, a piano solo performance of the theme (performed by the composer), and the commercial single recording of the main theme in the pop style of the day. Liner notes are by Jeff Eldridge.

John Williams (b. 1932) is not only the composer of most of the biggest blockbusters of all time—including Star Wars, E.T., Jaws, the Indiana Jones films, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park and many more, many of them directed by Steven Spielberg—but he has transcended film music to become the world's most famous living composer, and an American institution. His popular symphonic scores are so iconic that they often overshadow the fact that he has been equally proficient at sophisticated, adult fare (Schindler's List, Images) and had a successful career in composing (for television and often comedy features), arranging and performing well before he even met Steven Spielberg. FSM, like most labels, will release everything it can of Williams's music, and has concentrated (for reasons of availability) on his early years as "Johnny" Williams when he was doing sterling work on relatively little-known television and films—always with an amazing attention to melody and detail. In fact, his early works are fascinating for the ways in which they foreshadow his later, world-renowned efforts. IMDB

Any release of early John Williams is great news and I ordered this immediately. I can only hope that as John Williams' titles are ticked off a few each year that we actually will see the light of day for Williams' BLACK SUNDAY.

Hard to believe this thread has tanked so fast! I just received my copy yesterday and have heard it through twice now. This is a tremendous score, loaded with great melodic material, interesting and well-developed suspense cues and bold action, a far more coherent and accomplished early effort than one might expect from a guy who was doing mainly tv and comedy scores at the time. The album is a great listen, and I recommend it highly to anyone who appreciates a damn fine orchestral score! This is not just "something Williams did before anyone ever heard of him" -- it's a demonstration of the kind of talent that would later make Williams a household name.

None But the Brave 2:22 Conducted by Morris Stoloff With The Jack Halloran Singers (Johnny Williams–Donald Wolf) Produced Under License From Warner Bros. Records Inc. From the Artanis–Warner Bros. Production None But the Brave